The call came as a surprise just after 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 19.

Mayor Jerry Sanders’ office had called the day prior to let us know the mayor would be submitting a commentary to the paper Wednesday morning – the day after the San Diego city council approved signing the amicus curiae, or friend-of-the-court brief in the marriage equality case before the California Supreme Court.

We’d heard rumblings from public officials, some from as far removed as San Francisco, indicating the mayor would veto the brief.

We expected the mayor’s commentary to be an 800-word, half-hearted apology to the GLBT community explaining why he supported civil unions, not same-sex marriage.

What we received, instead, was a profile in courage.

The mayor’s office called that Wednesday morning to tell us Jerry Sanders had a change of heart – and it’s his progressive stand on the side of equality that has earned him our recognition as Person of the Year, the only public official to whom we’ve consecutively awarded the title.

After Sanders’ emotional press conference announcing the city would sign the amicus brief, the Gay & Lesbian Times published an editorial praising and thanking Sanders for his courage.

We received calls and letters from members of the GLBT community who said our praise for Sanders was unwarranted – he did what he should have done in the first place; his was an action worthy of a hand-shake and a simple “thank you,” they said.

If Sanders was a Democrat, and had lobbied the GLBT community on a platform that included support for same-sex marriage, by all means, the naysayers would have had a point.

Sanders, however, is a Republican, and he made clear in his campaign his support for civil unions, not same-sex marriage.

His change of heart was a refreshing reminder that some leaders do, in fact, lead.

And, it was not the first time Sanders proved to be a friend of our community. In 2006, Sanders, along with Police Chief William Lansdowne, was recognized as Person of the Year for his timely, heartfelt response to the attacks on six men leaving the Pride festival.

Sanders stood with the GLBT community then – and he stands with us now, no fair-weather friend, but a man of conviction.

Every day we encounter leaders who are afraid to lead; leaders who value party lines and special interests more than they value integrity and equality; leaders who fear backlash and bad press, and, in turn, favor the status quo.

Sanders did something few leaders have the humility to do – he reevaluated his convictions, and he adopted a new direction. He embraced change, and led with his heart.

Similarly, Councilmember Jim Madaffer, a Republican, and Councilmember Ben Hueso, a Democrat and member of the Catholic church, faced heat for their support of the amicus brief. We’ve recognized them as notable leaders in 2007. Their votes were key to passing the resolution – and they faced considerable backlash for it. Madaffer and Hueso, also demonstrated a rare and refreshing style of leadership. Along with Sanders, these men deserve recognition for their courage.

Years from now, Sanders, Madaffer and Hueso will be remembered for standing on the right side of history. We laud them now, and we will continue to thank them for years to come.